Davison shines as PLDT drubs Farm Fresh

BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA-VILLAR

Feb 4, 2025 06:13 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• PLDT banked on hard-hitting Savi Davison as it made short work of Farm Fresh with a 25-20, 25-17, 25-19 victory on Tuesday, Feb. 4, in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

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PLDT banked on hard-hitting Savi Davison as it made short work of Farm Fresh with a 25-20, 25-17, 25-19 victory on Tuesday, Feb. 4, in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Savi Davison scores 26 points for PLDT. (PVL Images)

The 5-foot-10 Davison was unstoppable at the attack line, pumping in 23 kills to finish with 26 points to steer the High Speed Hitters to their sixth win in nine matches.

It was the second straight triumph for PLDT as it aims to strengthen its playoff standing. They are currently at third behind unbeaten Creamline (7-0) and Petro Gazz (6-1), which is playing ZUS Coffee as of this writing. 

Mika Reyes also displayed her vintage form and unloaded nine attacks to finish with 10 points, while Erika Santos and Majoy Baron combined for 17 points.

“Lesson lang samin mawala yung complacency and mas maging consistent. Sana madala pa namin to sa mga next games namin,” said PLDT coach Rald Ricafort.

Angge Alcantara also played a key role throughout the 77-minute match, delivering 12 of the team’s 16 excellent sets, while libero Kath Arado and Fiola Ceballos took charge of the floor defense and conspired for 24 excellent digs.

PLDT pounced on Farm Fresh on all angles, outscoring them in attacks, 52-31, while making more blocks, 8-4. 

So tight were the High Speed Hitters’ defense that they limited all Foxies to single-digit production with Trisha Tubu being held to a measly nine points.

The Foxies failed to sustain their four-set victory over the Galeries Tower Highrisers last Thursday, Jan. 30, and slipped to a 4-5 win-loss record.

Alex Eala drubs Japanese to advance in Mumbai tourney

BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA-VILLAR

Feb 3, 2025 03:05 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Alex Eala clobbered Sara Saito of Japan, 6-1, 6-0, to barge into the second round of the L&T Mumbai Open tennis championships on Monday, Feb. 3, in India.

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Alex Eala clobbered Sara Saito of Japan, 6-1, 6-0, to barge into the second round of the L&T Mumbai Open tennis championships on Monday, Feb. 3, in India.

File Photo from Alex Eala Facebook

Unlike in their last meeting a few days back where the match went the distance, the 19-year-old Eala hardly broke a sweat this time as she overpowered her younger rival in a match that lasted exactly an hour.

So dominating was Eala that she never dropped her serve throughout as she bombarded Saito with shots from all angles. 

The Filipina tennis standout cruised to a quick 4-1 lead in the opening set and never looked back.

Up next for Eala will be the winner between sixth Nao Hibino of Japan and compatriot Mai Hontama, who are playing at press time.

Eala entered the week at No. 137 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles, slipping three rungs from No. 134 last week.

She hopes to regain her bearings and claim a breakthrough WTA title.

Eala faces Japanese in Mumbai opener

BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA-VILLAR

Feb 3, 2025 02:25 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Alex Eala returns to action on Monday, Feb. 3, when she competes in the L&T Mumbai Open in India.

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Alex Eala returns to action on Monday, Feb. 3, when she competes in the L&T Mumbai Open in India.

File Photo/Alex Eala Facebook

The unseeded Eala is scheduled to face Japanese Sara Saito in the first round of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA)125 event that offers a total cash purse of $115,000.

This isn’t the first time that Eala and Saito are meeting. A few days back, both players battled in the first qualifying round at the Singapore Tennis Open where the 19-year-old Filipina standout prevailed, 6-1, 6-7 (1), 7-5. 

Eala, however, eventually lost in her next match against Swiss Simona Waltert in straight sets for a chance to earn a main draw berth.

While Eala boasts of a higher ranking at No. 134 in the WTA singles compared to Saito, who is 30 rungs below at No. 164, the Filipina bet remains wary of the Japanese following that tough duel the last time.

Prior to the Singapore tournament, Eala competed in the W100 Bengaluru in India the week before but lost in the second round of the qualifiers.

She opened the season with a semifinal finish at the Canberra 125 in Australia last January after going through a two-round qualifying, then went straight to play at the Grand Slams. 

Also out campaigning in India is Philippines’ top doubles player Francis Casey Alcantara, as he teams up with Pruchya Isaro of Thailand in the Chennai Open Challenger.

Seeded fourth in the 32-pair field, the Filipino-Thai tandem is set to face Czech veterans Jiri Vesely and Dalibor Svrcina.

Alcantara, ranked No. 240 in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) doubles, last played at the Nonthaburi Challenger in Thailand last month with Czech partner Zdenek Kolar where they finished in the quarterfinals.

Kat Tolentino undergoes surgery for ruptured appendix

BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA-VILLAR

Jan 21, 2025 08:04 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Choco Mucho opposite spiker Kat Tolentino is expected to miss a few games after being diagnosed with a ruptured appendix. 

Choco Mucho opposite spiker Kat Tolentino is expected to miss a few games after being diagnosed with a ruptured appendix.

Kat Tolentino (PVL Images)

The team said Tolentino had to be hospitalized for severe abdominal pains last Monday, Jan. 20, and had to undergo surgery Tuesday, Jan. 21.

“She is resting now. Let’s pray for her quick and full recovery,” read the statement, which was posted on the team’s social media.

“Get well soon, Kat! The entire Titan fam is here for you and will always have your back,” it added.

The Flying Titans are coming off a five-set victory against the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles last Saturday, Jan. 18, where Tolentino came off the bench and played only in the first three sets to finish with three points.

Toting a 4-3 record, Choco Mucho’s next match will be on Thursday, Jan. 23, against PLDT.

Cool Smashers stake unbeaten record vs Solar Spikers

BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA-VILLAR

Jan 20, 2025 01:03 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Creamline stakes its unbeaten run when it tangles with Capital1 on Tuesday, Jan. 21, in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City. 

Creamline stakes its unbeaten run when it tangles with Capital1 on Tuesday, Jan. 21, in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Creamline is gunning for its fifth straight win against Capital1. (PVL Images)

Set at 4 p.m., the Cool Smashers are gunning for their fifth consecutive victory in their first match of the year after the holiday break against the Solar Spikers, who are seeking to crawl out from near the cellar with their 1-4 win-loss card.

Also out to extend its winning run is Petro Gazz as it aims to hike its 5-1 record when it takes on Chery Tiggo (4-2) in the 6:30 p.m. nightcap. 

Cignal (4-1) and Galeries Tower (1-5), two teams coming from different ends, collide in the 1:30 p.m. opener.

Showcasing their depth and talent that won them the Grand Slam last year, Creamline expects to continue that same firepower in this six-month long conference.

Out of their four triumphs, they have only dropped three sets so far.

Anchoring the squad as usual are Bernadeth Pons, Jema Galanza and Michele Gumabao in facing the Solar Spikers, who recently beefed up their roster following the acquisition of outside hitter Trisha Genesis. 

Genesis is expected to join forces with Leila Cruz, Jorelle Singh and Des Clemente with high hopes of pulling off an upset win against their favored rivals.

Meanwhile, Petro Gazz aims to pick up where it left off in keeping its place atop the leaderboard, with Brooke Van Sickle slated to fire up its assault along with MJ Phillips and Myla Pablo.

Chery Tiggo, for its part, has its own deadly trio in Cess Robles, Ara Galang and Aby Maraño in teaming up with new recruit Risa Sato.

Creamline overcomes ZUS Coffee, stays perfect

BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA-VILLAR

Dec 12, 2024 07:28 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Creamline leaned on its veteran poise as it turned back ZUS Coffee with a hard-earned 25-22, 28-30, 26-24, 17-25, 15-13 victory to remain unscathed in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City on Thursday, Dec. 12. 

Creamline leaned on its veteran poise as it turned back ZUS Coffee with a hard-earned 25-22, 28-30, 26-24, 17-25, 15-13 victory to remain unscathed in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City on Thursday, Dec. 12.

Alyssa Valdez flashes her vintage form and scores 17 points for Creamline. (PVL Images)

Skipper Alyssa Valdez rediscovered her old touch and carried the cudgels for the Cool Smashers, firing 17 points on 16 attacks and one block.

The win stretched Creamline’s streak to four games, tying with Cignal at the helm.

Despite stumbling in the fourth set that put their backs against the wall, the Cool Smashers still held their ground and unleashed fiery assaults entering the pivotal fifth frame.

But the Thunderbelles refused to give up, grabbing an 11-9 lead with Thea Gagate at the forefront of their attack.

It turned out to be ZUS Coffee’s last stand as Creamline pounced on the Thunderbelles to grab the triumph.

Bernadeth Pons also paced with 17 points for Creamline, which overcame ZUS Coffee’s solid net defense after posting 11 blocks. 

Jema Galanza also sizzled with 15 points while Michele Gumabao was equally unstoppable with 14 points.

Kate Santiago and Gagate had 19 and 16 points, respectively, while Michele Gamit and Glaudine Troncoso combined for 24 points for ZUS Coffee, which absorbed its third loss in five games.

Capital1, 3 others launch PVL All-Filipino title bids

BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA-VILLAR

Nov 11, 2024 02:26 PM 

AT A GLANCE

• Four more teams including Capital1 launch their respective title bids on Tuesday, Nov. 12, in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

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Four more teams including Capital1 launch their respective title bids on Tuesday, Nov. 12, in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Capital1 hopes to carry the intensity brought by former import Marina Tushova in its All-Filipino Conference campaign. (PVL Images)

The Solar Spikers clash with the Chery Tiggo Crossovers in the 6:30 p.m. nightcap hoping to make an impact after a seventh place finish in the last Reinforced Conference, while the Nxled Chameleons and the PLDT High Speed Hitters collide at 4 p.m.

Winners of the two matches will join opening-day victors Petro Gazz and Akari in this grueling, six-month conference that promises intense and heated action.

Capital1 seeks to showcase a new look with its mix of seasoned and promising players, and is expected to draw strength from the experience brought by former import Marina Tushova.

“We want to keep that drive and intensity brought by Marina. She set a good example and gave a higher bar of performance and we learned so much from her,” said Capital1 team manager Hollie Reyes.

Veterans Heather Guinoo, Jorelle Singh and Shola Alvarez are set to lead the Solar Spikers along with the young guns like Leila Cruz.

Chery Tiggo, for its part, is moving forward from the departures of star players Eya and EJ Laure, and Buding Duremdes, under a new coach in Normal Miguel and veterans Mylene Paat, Aby Maraño and Ara Galang.

In the other pairing, PLDT is leaning on Fil-Canadian Savi Davison to provide firepower along with seasoned players Majoy Baron, Mika Reyes and Jovie Prado, against another revamped team in Nxled, which has a new coach in Italian Ettore Guidetti.

“The team is a defensive one, so I don’t need to spend too much time on that. They love to dig. Normally, it’s difficult to score on the first attempt against my team, so right now we’re trying to raise the bar in other areas,” said Guidetti, who casts his eyes on May Luna, Lycha Ebon and Jaila Atienza.

 

Lifter Peralta bags bronze in world junior tourney

BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA-VILLAR

Sep 21, 2024 12:54 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Jhodie Peralta added another medal in the Team Philippines’ war chest after scooping one bronze medal in the IWF World Junior Weightlifting Championships in Leon, Spain on Friday, Sept. 20.

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Jhodie Peralta added another medal in the Team Philippines’ war chest after scooping one bronze medal in the IWF World Junior Weightlifting Championships in Leon, Spain on Friday, Sept. 20.

Jhodie Peralta,center. (IWF)

Peralta posted 85 kilos for the third-best lift in snatch in the women’s 55kg division, finishing behind eventual gold medalist Chen Guan-Ling of Chinese Taipei (98 kilos) and silver winner Gelen Yulieth Torres Gomez of Colombia (89 kilos).

The Filipina bet, however, tumbled at seventh in clean and jerk with a 102-kilo performance, eventually affecting her total where she landed fifth with 187 kilos. 

Chen grabbed the gold with a total lift of 217 kilos after also topping clean and jerk (119 kilos), while Torres Gomez finished silver with 192 kilos.

Aleksandra Grigoryan of Armenia settled for bronze with a 191-kilo total after placing seventh in snatch (81 kilos) and silver in clean and jerk (110 kilos).

Meanwhile, Rosalinda Faustino failed in all attempts in the same weight class.

Overall, the Nationals have four gold medals and two bronzes courtesy of Lovely Inan and Angeline Colonia. 

One more lifter is set to compete for the PH team with Albert Ian Delos Santos seeing action in men’s 67kg.

Galanza returns as Cool Smashers sweep Foxies ahead of Invitational finals

BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA-VILLAR

Sep 11, 2024 06:20 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Jema Galanza returned to Creamline duties with a bang as the Cool Smashers blasted the Farm Fresh Foxies, 25-15, 25-13, 25-19, ahead of their finals stint in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City on Wednesday, Sept. 11.

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Jema Galanza returned to Creamline duties with a bang as the Cool Smashers blasted the Farm Fresh Foxies, 25-15, 25-13, 25-19, ahead of their finals stint in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City on Wednesday, Sept. 11.

Jema Galanza finally sees action for Creamline. (PVL Images)

Galanza, fresh from her stint with the national team, came off the bench in the second set and delivered 13 points built on 11 kills and two blocks to lead the Cool Smashers to a four-game sweep of the preliminaries.

They await the winner between Cignal and defending champion Kurashiki Ablaze for the winner-take-all finals.

Creamline refused to slow down even after winning the Reinforced Conference, exposing Farm Fresh sluggish plays by pumping in 51 attacks, five blocks and three aces.

So weak were the Foxies particularly in their defense that they laid a big fat egg on blocks despite 35 tries. No player also managed to land a single ace.

Everybody contributed a little of everything for Creamline with recently crowned Reinforced Conference and Finals MVP Bernadeth Pons posting eight points, Michele Gumabao adding seven, and Lorie Lyn Bernardo chipping in six points.

Japanese import Asaka Tamaru  scored 10 points in a losing cause for Farm Fresh, which finished with a 0-4 card.